UN Climate Change Chief “Delighted” By Volkswagen Emissions Scandal

There are people in this world who are delighted by the Volkswagen diesel emission scandal.

But not necessarily because they wish Volkswagen bad or because they like emissions. A statement made by Christiana Figueres, executive secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, concerns only the consequences of the scandal (see video above).

She’s right in that if VW follows through and really does go electric, or transitions to electric, it will have a huge impact. However, given the time lag between announcing new products and being able to go down to the dealer and buy something, we will have a while to wait.

Most of the automotive industry hoped Tesla would die and become nothing more than an unpleasant memory.

It almost did.

But it survived. And now thrives. Everyone who just sat back and watched them create one of the world’s most desirable electric cars, with a growing global high speed charging network– now has YEARS of catching up to do.

No one can replicate what’s been accomplished by Tesla, overnight. It’s kinda sad how almost one else but Renault and Nissan, willingly changed course to create non-compliance EVs.

Tesla is no more risky than most technology startups! Everybody was nervous about Amazons lack of profit and Facebook’s lack of revenue. Today they are both revered. Tesla is burning cash, but they are spending the money on long term investments. If they stopped investment their core business is profitable.

Compared to elderly car companies, Tesla may seem risky, but the elderly car companies have far more to loose.

Audi and Porsche both now have Stop Sale Orders on their diesels. The width and depth of this scandal is impressive, as it unfolds. This should scare the cr*p out of automakers. EPA has now changed the way it will test vehicles (on the road), combined with ever tightening global emissions regulation– the only choices for compliance will be cleaner energy efficient BEVs or lame FCVs pushed by the Oil Industry.

11/20, they meet with EPA to reveal the plan. Expecting buybacks, or retrofits. VW was in the WSJ, today, where the new CO2 violations were mentioned as volunteered by a whistleblower. 800,000 cars, and no models known yet? Add that to the ~82,000 1.8ltr recalled gas cars, with cam lobe issues, and then the V-6’s they voluntarily took off the market, despite claiming “clean”, and you have a real mess at VW, Porsche, Audi.

If you think VW Group is about to change, watch the English translated succession presser to new CEO Mueller, and listen for how little they characterize their offenses. I get the sense they care more about their lost buddies:

Unfortunately, I think that’s a bit optimistic. It’s entirely possible that VW will quit making diesel cars altogether. But even if VW really wanted to, I very seriously doubt it can start making and selling EVs in the mass quantities which it has been selling diesel gasmobiles. It’s not a matter of motivation, it’s a matter of economic reality.

We’re getting close to the tipover point at which an auto maker can make an “everyman” BEV or long-range PHEV at a price point fully competitive with gasmobiles. But we’re not there yet. If we were, then Tesla would already be selling them. We’re still at least a few years, maybe several years, away from that.

So I expect VW to talk a lot about plug-in EVs, but to produce mostly mild hybrid gasmobiles, which they will call “EVs” but which won’t replace many gasoline-powered miles with electric-powered miles.

2030 is too far out. BMW should stop making ICE long before that. They should start “yesterday” in building battery factories. Not only BMW but all of the car boys.

Today we read that Paris was attacked. Which one is next one wonders? When are we going to not use oil and stop being dependent on the Muslims? How many more lives will it cost? Just how many Mr. BMW or Mr. VW etc..

I just looked up the salary of Christiana Figueres from the UN. It is in the region of $250k. And for that money she gave us a lesson in German that VW means the car of the people and that Tesla doesn’t make a car for the people. She know all too well that Tesla is working hard at it and SHE is siding with the BIG OIL BOYS so as to maintain her income from the UN. She knows who owns which company. What did she do about it? NOTHING. What can she do about it? Sing and at the end of the day also NOTHING.

The transition to truly clean vehicles is about CO2 emissions and climate change. Therefore, the only legitimate pathway is electric vehicles. “Clean diesel” and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are nothing but wasted opportunities and a cynical ploy by the fossil fuel industry to extend their immoral business plan to ekk a few moral years of profits. The only chance of bending the emissions curve downward is to replace fossil fuel energy with renewable energy and electrification of transportation. And we need to do it fast. No more obfuscation by the automotive and oil and gas industry.

IMHO the only way these companies are going to REALLY change is when we the people start choosing to buy the Model IIIs, Bolts, Leaf 2.0s and whichever other long range BEVs come out in the next few years. Consumers have the power to change these big auto companies we just need to spend our money in the right places.
They are slaves to the all mighty dollar and no moral argument will be truly heard by them if their profits are going to suffer. I for one am currently building a new house in which two car chargers are being installed. Once the second generation of BEVs comes out I will no longer drive a gasmobile. I now drive a Toyota and my poor girlfriend drives a VW Diesel. Both these companies will lose our business unless they make an electric we can trade in for.

I think the main impact is not on VW, which if it is like most major corporations will fight tooth and nail to change as little as possible.

The main impact is that “clean diesel” is dead as a credible concept. All of those buyers who were purchasing diesel vehicles thinking they were a green option will need to seek alternatives, and there are three: hybrids, range-extended EVs, and EVs. Plain hybrids have become the minivan of drivetrains. They no longer excite anybody. I suspect the typical former diesel buyer will move to extended range EVs, as clearly they were unwilling to give up range.

Put another way, this is an opportunity specifically for the Volt, at least till 200 mile EVs reach the 30-40K price point. The i3 is also a beneficiary, especially for those who want to stay with German brands. The Leaf and Model S will benefit a little bit too, but I think not as much.

And VW? It will become a smaller company. A better one, or not, remains to be seen.

Diesel is just as bad as gasoline since both are organic fuels that are burned in engine cylinders, and both generate dirty emissions. There is no such thing as a “clean Diesel” engine. Whoever states that lie shopud have their mouth taped to the Diesel exhaust pipe and the engine powered on!